By SOPHIE GORMAN ORIANI

Following the passage and subsequent overturning of a controversial redistricting plan for Prince George’s County, area residents are paying close attention to candidates in local elections this year.

The state primary takes place on July 19, with early voting from July 7 to July 14. Many races In our area are decided in the Democratic primaries, as the Republican party often does not field candidates for county and local state offices.

Maryland voters must register with a particular party to vote in a partisan primary. Any voter can vote in a nonpartisan primary, such as one for members of the county school board. 

Residents can look up candidates representing a specific address using the Find My Representatives tool at mgaleg.maryland.gov/.

Prince George’s County elections

The races listed in this section will be decided in the July 19 primary.

Most College Park residents who live south of Route 193 are in District 3, though residents of Crystal Springs, College Park Woods and the western end of Daniels Park are in District 1, as are the neighborhoods north of Route 193.

Prince George’s County candidates

Eric Olson, who represented District 3 from 2006-2014, is running again, having prevailed in his challenge of a proposed county redistricting plan that singled out his home for exclusion from the district. He is running against fellow-Democrats Sia Finoh, who lost the primary for the District 24 House of Delegates seat in 2018, and Eve Shuman, a former staffer for U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D). For more information on this race, see our past articles on District 3 here.

In District 1, incumbent Tom Dernoga has filed to run for reelection; he is running unopposed.

Rudy Anthony, Leo Eyombo, Sam Elira, Mel Franklin, Stanford Fraser, Calvin Hawkins and Jonathan White have filed to run for the two at-large county council seats representing the entire county.

Angela Alsobrooks, the current county executive, is running for reelection. She faces challenges from Leigh Bodden, Billy Bridges, Sherman Hardy and Tonya Sweat.

John D.B. Carr, Dave Grogan, Elliott Gibson, Sylvester Jones and Loralyn Mayo are candidates for Prince George’s County sheriff. Yakeisha Dawn Hines-Poole registered but withdrew, endorsing Carr instead.

Maryland State Legislature primaries

The majority of local state candidates are Democrats and have no Republican challengers, and many races will be decided in the primary. 

Maryland State Legislature candidates

College Park is part of Maryland District 21, where incumbent State Senator Jim Rosapepe (D) is running again. He is challenged by Republican Lee Havis.

Incumbent state delegates Ben Barnes, Mary Lehman and Joseline Peña-Melnyk, all Democrats, have all filed to run for reelection. Democrat Malcolm Thomas Colombo withdrew from the race on April 18.

General election dates

The general election is Nov. 8, with early voting from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3. Any voter may request a mail-in ballot for the 2022 state elections at elections.maryland.gov/voting/absentee.html. Voters may also add their name to the permanent mail-in list, using this same link, to receive a ballot for all future elections, as well.